The survey was held in mid-June and gathered 196 responses from UK practices. That compared with the 532 responses to the initial survey conducted early in April and 251 responses to the second survey conducted at the start of May.
One of the main findings was a marked increase in the number of practices running a near-normal caseload, from 3% in May to 32% in June. Practice turnover data similarly reflected a shift back towards normality, with 46% now reporting a reduction of less than 25%, compared with 19% last month.
Other findings included:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "This latest survey has demonstrated a continuation of the previous survey’s positive trends including an increase in practice turnover with more practices approaching a ‘near normal caseload’ and with a reduction in the number of practices impacted by staff self-isolating or with confirmed cases of Covid-19.
“In this survey we also asked about what difficulties practices may be experiencing with EMS placements for vet students and VN training placements as a result of Covid-19, and this will help us to understand how we can better support students and practices in these areas.
“We will continue to monitor the situation via these regular surveys, with the next one planned for later this summer. I would urge as many practices as possible to continue to complete them, so that we can build up a stronger evidence-base on how veterinary businesses have been affected and how they are recovering.
"This information is not only vital for our own policy decisions but also allows us to present a stronger case to the Government and other public bodies where we wish to influence the decisions they make that will impact the veterinary professions and businesses.”
The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus-resources.
A survey carried out by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of the pheromonatherapy products D.A.P.® and Feliway®, has revealed that 94 per cent of veterinary professionals believe that owners' lifestyles are the major cause of behavioural problems in pets1.
Over three-quarters of those questioned believed that owners should spend more time with their pets to prevent these issues, while 89 per cent thought that owners were too busy to deal with their pets if they developed behavioural problems.
According to CEVA, the fast pace of owners' lifestyles is significantly affecting the stress felt by both dogs and cats and this is further exacerbated in cats by the social demands that pet owners put on them. Cats are solitary survivors that cope better with short, frequent interactions and like their own company. While they are popular for their independence, owners often like to have their pets' full attention when they return from work which is at odds with their cats' preferred behaviour patterns.
Behavioural issues can also result from changes in a pet's environment and new experiences such as moving house, building work, the introduction of a new pet to the household, going to a kennel or cattery, travelling in a car, visiting the vets and stressful events such as Bonfire Night and Christmas. To help combat stress, nearly 65 per cent of dog owners avoid putting their pets in stressful situations, while 19 per cent choose to ignore their stressed dog2.
Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health said: "Our modern lifestyles are leading to stressed pets which, in the long-term, will exacerbate behavioural and medical problems. It's important that veterinary professionals educate their clients on the implications of canine and feline stress to help prevent these issues from developing."
For further information about D.A.P.® and Feliway®, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
Elanco Animal Health has announced the launch of a Milbemax television advertising campaign to educate pet owners about the importance and ease of worming.
The 30-second advertisement will appear as pre-roll to video content on a number of websites from the end of August, and will broadcast on mainstream TV channels including ITV1, Channel 4, Channel Five, Sky, ITV2, ITV3, E4, More4, Film4, UKTV and Five Digital in mid-September to reach an estimated nine million people – of which nearly three million will be identified/targeted pet owners.
Elanco says the advert is designed to target female pet owners between the ages of 25 and 49 and drive them to seek further information and buy pet wormers from their local veterinary surgeon with the call to action: ‘Make an appointment with your vet to find out how easy worming your pet can be.’
Viewers watching the online advertisement will be able to click through to campaign specific pages on Elanco’s WormPatrol website - www.wormpatrol.co.uk/easyworming - where they can use 'Find a Vet', a worm risk checker and worming reminders to connect them with veterinary practices. The advertisement will also be available to view on the WormPatrol website.
The campaign is supported by a range of educational marketing materials and initiatives which are available to Milbemax customers from the vet section of the WormPatrol website or from their local Elanco companion animal territory manager.
The materials include a video to embed in practice websites and to use on social media, a subtitled version of the video for waiting rooms, a range of pet owner worm education materials, social media resources and SMS text message broadcasts.
Matthew Rowe, marketing manager at Elanco Animal Health, said: “Elanco is committed to encouraging responsible pet ownership; the new Milbemax advertising campaign will educate pet owners about the importance and ease of regular worming while driving them to veterinary practices for further information and to purchase pet wormers.”
For further information please contact your local Elanco Animal Health territory manager or email elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com.
The webinars will provide practical information to help manage renal cases, focusing on the importance of early diagnosis.
Led by feline medicine experts, Dr Tommaso Furlanello PhD ECVCP Dip and Dr Sarah Caney BVSc PhD DSAM(Feline) MRCVS, the webinars will provide practical information to help manage renal cases.
On 7th June, Tommaso's talk will address early diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) and recognition and management of its complications.
On the 28th, Sarah's talk will focus on supporting and communicating with cat owners around early diagnosis and achieving optimal long-term management.
The webinars will be available to watch live or as a recording after the event.
To register for the event, visit: https://purinaproplan-webinarseries.vfairs.com/
If you attend the live event, you'll have the chance to put questions to Sarah and Tommaso, but if you can't make it on the night, there'll be a recording afterwards.
Founder Professor Noel Fitzpatrick said: "It is a real joy to see the VET Festival growing and growing, not just in physical size, but from the immense goodwill that radiates from it. The weather didn’t get in the way of the wellness and there was nothing rainy about the atmosphere at VET Festival - in fact I think that the rain brought us closer together.
"I set out to build a community of compassion for our profession and I genuinely felt that there was a tangible sense of togetherness. There were loads of great conversations with each other and with the exhibitors. The educational content really was world class and the tents were packed. I hoped that VET Festival would be a breath of fresh air, where having an education event outdoors - combined with a focus on wellness of body and mind for all of us - could help vet professionals to be the very best that they could be - and so serve our patients better.
"Everyone there was part of something innovative and refreshing I felt – the delegates, the exhibitors, the team who have worked year-round to create the event, and the fantastic speakers. I’m very grateful to all of them and I sincerely hope that this feeling remains strong for each and every one all year round.
"The resonant theme this year was ‘kindness’ – to ourselves, to each other, to the families of animals and the animals we are lucky enough to take care of. Nobody is a nobody at VET Festival, and never will be. In that field, we’re all equal, no matter what we do in the vet profession - we all matter - we all want the same thing, which is wellness for each other and the animals we serve - and importantly, we’re all in it together for the greater good, rain or shine."
Q Fever is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which can infect humans, cattle, goats, sheep and many other mammals, as well as reptiles, ticks and birds.
Known originally as Query fever, it was first identified in Australia in 1935 after an outbreak of disease in abattoir workers.
Ceva says half of UK dairy farms may be at risk of Q Fever1, 2.
The webinar, which will be presented by Jonathan Statham MA VetMB DCHP FRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS-registered specialist in cattle health and co-author of the ‘Dairy Herd Health’ textbook, will count towards 1.5 hours of CPD.
It will cover the UK prevalence of Q Fever in herds, its cause and transmission, together with identification and diagnostics.
It will also look at the variations between livestock species, disease prevention and its risk to humans as a zoonosis.
Jonathan said: "Q Fever is of much higher profile in many other parts of the world such as Australia and has been notifiable for some years with national testing programmes in a number of European countries such as Germany.
“Recently Q Fever has become notifiable in the UK and climate change is changing the future risk profile."
Renzo Di Florio, veterinary advisor at Ceva said: “The disease causes issues with reproduction and fertility and has the potential to have significant impact on livestock health and productivity.
"However, awareness is low amongst the farming industry.
“Our Q Fever webinar will help raise awareness of the disease and the preventative measures that can be put in place to help protect those working with livestock on a regular basis and reduce the impact of Q Fever on farms.
To register for the webinar or if you have further questions, e-mail cevauk-webinars@ceva.com
References
Pet&Vet has the support of the RCVS, BSAVA, BVNA and BVRA and each has a column aimed at giving pet owners their insights along with general veterinary advice.
The quarterly title will also run seasonal features and have sections about products and services, conservation, pet and owner well-being, treatments, pet owner profiles and celebrity interviews.
In issue one, due to arrive in early March, Ricky Gervais talks about his love for animals, and there articles about spotting feline arthritis and how to look after older dogs at home.
The magazine will be distributed to veterinary practices free of charge, and the publishers hope you will put it in your reception area for pet owners to read while they wait.
Practices can order more copies, and the plan is to allow them to sell future issues and take a cut of each sale.
Pet owners can also subscribe to get their own copies.
Most of the content is written by veterinary professionals and the editor, Chris Ritchie, says he is keen to receive contributions for the print magazine and companion website, www.petandvetmag.com, which is due to launch alongside the magazine.
Editorial enquiries: editor@petandvetmag.comCommercial enquiries: davidk@petandvetmag.com.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has set up a new Veterinary Legislation Group to consider proposals for changes in veterinary regulation, in the light of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's inquiry into the current Veterinary Surgeons Act, and the Government's response to the EFRA Committee's report.
The new group, which will be chaired by RCVS Council Member and Dean of Glasgow Veterinary School, Professor Stuart Reid, will be tasked with taking a fresh look at changes that need to be made to the current legislative framework, and how these might be accomplished. It will not restrict itself to looking at a replacement for the Veterinary Surgeons Act, but will consider other ways that changes can be made in the short- and long-term.
The Group will meet in September, and comprise RCVS Council members and non-members - both lay people and veterinary surgeons. Once the RCVS position has been clarified, further discussion will follow with DEFRA, the BVA and the profession.
Responding to the Government's response to the EFRA Committee report, RCVS President Jill Nute said: "We welcome the fact that DEFRA is willing to consider any detailed proposals that might come forward from the profession, although we accept that DEFRA itself does not have time or resources to be proactive at this stage.
"We are also pleased that Government acknowledges that the veterinary nursing profession has come of age and that the time is right for the regulation of veterinary nurses to be taken forward, although again it is disappointing that DEFRA does not have the resources to progress this at present.
"Finally, we welcome the suggestion that the Presidents of the BVA and the RCVS meet with the Chief Veterinary Officer to discuss plans and to what extent DEFRA can help us - accepting the fact that DEFRA, like the RCVS, feels that a piecemeal approach may not be the most effective," she concluded.
New research from the USA, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ), has shown that a toxin from the box elder tree is the likely cause of Seasonal Pasture Myopathy (SPM), the US equivalent of the European disease known as Atypical Myopathy (AM).
According to the British Equine Veterinary Association, preliminary comparisons of these results with cases of AM in Europe suggest that the European condition may be linked to similar trees which could have an important bearing on the future prevention of the disease in Europe.
Seasonal Pasture Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease in Midwestern USA and Eastern Canada. A similar disorder called Atypical Myopathy is becoming increasingly frequent in the UK and Northern Europe. Outbreaks of both diseases tend to be seasonal, with most cases occurring in the autumn. Horses that develop SPM and AM are usually kept in sparse pastures with an accumulation of dead leaves dead wood and trees in or around the pasture and are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed.
The research1 identified that seeds from box elder trees were consistently present in the autumn pastures of all 12 horses enrolled in the study. These horses were from 11 different farms and had all presented with the clinical signs of SPM, which include muscular weakness and stiffness, dark urine, periods of recumbency, colic-like signs and muscle trembling. The toxic amino acid hypoglycin A, which is known to cause acquired multiple acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) was shown to be present in the box elder seeds and hypoglycin metabolites were identified in the serum or urine of all the horses. All but one of the cases proved fatal.
Professor Valberg DVM PhD of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, who instigated the study, said: "The fact that another acquired form of MADD in rats and humans is caused by hypoglycin A ingestion strengthens our conclusion that hypoglycin A is the likely toxic cause of SPM in horses. We are intending to conduct further studies to determine the factors that affect the highly variable hypoglycin A concentrations in box elder seeds."
Professor Valberg has established collaborative links with groups in Europe in order to investigate if a similar toxin is involved in European Atypical Myopathy. Working with Professor Vince Gerber and Dr Lucia Unger at the University of Bern, Professor Valberg has obtained seeds from a tree related to the Box Elder found on many pastures where Atypical Myopathy has occurred.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "This is a really important step forwards. We don't yet know for sure that the cause of European disease, Atypical Myopathy, is the same as Seasonal Pasture Myopathy in the US. But the clinical signs and MADD aberrations are identical and both conditions have a high fatality rate. It remains to be seen whether this research will help European horses, but there is no doubt that it will allow American horse owners to prevent this devastating condition affecting their horses with immediate effect."
1 Seasonal Pasture Myopathy/Atypical Myopathy in North America associated with Ingestion of Hypoglycin A within Seeds of the Box Elder Tree Stephanie J Valberg DVM PhD1, Beatrice T Sponseller Dr. med. vet2, Adrian D Hegeman PhD3, Jennifer Earing PhD, Jeffery B. Bender DVM MS1, Krishona L Martinson PhD4, Steven E Patterson PhD5, Lawrence Sweetman PhD1
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has released a series of photographs taken at its last council meeting on 7th March 2013.
Anyone for a photo-caption competition?
The full album can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcvs/sets/72157633046308352/
Roy Geary, regional director for Northern Europe (including the UK) at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The manufacturing of vaccines is a complex process that involves stringent quality control measures and adherence to regulatory guidelines.
"There have been unforeseen manufacturing issues at our production facilities, which have temporarily affected the ability to meet the demands of the UK sheep market within the main seasonal vaccination period for EAE.
"As a responsible provider, we are actively addressing these issues to minimise the impact on customers.
“In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, we have implemented comprehensive contingency plans to optimise the manufacturing and distribution process.
"Our dedicated team is working closely with our partners to resolve the challenges and restore normal supply levels as soon as possible.
"The vaccine challenge is being treated with the utmost urgency, and we are actively exploring alternative sourcing options to supplement the existing supply chain.
“We anticipate that the delay in supply will be resolved in the near future, however we recognise that for some farmers the supply will arrive too late for them to use. "
Ceva is encouraging these farmers to consult their vet and explore alternatives.
Roy added: “We will provide vet practices and the wider industry with regular updates as we progress toward a resolution and return to normal supply levels.”
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new consumer campaign to support the company's joint care supplement, Cosequin.
The campaign centres around a series of paw-tapping internet videos which showcase the perfectly poised paws of dog and cat dance duo, Fred and Ginger, highlighting the importance of good joint health. The videos are available to view at http://www.cosequin-dance.co.uk/
Pet owners are encouraged to purchase Cosequin from vet practices to enter a prize draw to win a photography day with leading animal photographer, Sam Lunt, or one of ten tickets to an upcoming live dancing tour. Posters and in-practice leaflets are also available for vet practices to help drive awareness and encourage uptake.
Sarah-Jane Minter, Marketing Manager for Intervet/Schering-Plough, commented; "We wanted to create a campaign which would support vets in practice and attract the attention of pet owners, especially those who may not have previously thought about the joint health of their pet. With these lighthearted new videos of Fred and Ginger demonstrating everything from the jive to the rumba and an eye-catching print campaign, we certainly expect to grab pet owners' attention!"
ISPAH says that by supporting joint condition and maintaining not only healthy cartilage, but also healthy joint structures, Cosequin is suitable for all dogs and cats that need some joint support, especially highly active or older animals. It adds that the joint care supplement contains 100% pure chondroitin sulphate and the unique formulation has been proven in over 50 clinical trials.
For further information, please contact your local Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Business Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The webinar will be presented by veterinary behaviourist, Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Behavioural Medicine.
It will cover how to take a cat friendly approach to the microchipping appointment to reduce feline stress and make the process easier for both pet owners and veterinary staff.
A consent-based care approach will be discussed, together with the importance of educating cat owners and veterinary professionals on how to handle cats to minimise feline stress.
The webinar will also advise on the use of adjunctive therapies, such as pheromones and nutraceuticals, as well as the strategic use of pre vet visit medication, and will be followed by a Q&A session.
Tammie O’Leary, commercial lead at identi, said: “The introduction of the new cat microchipping legislation will lead to an increased number of feline patients being seen by veterinary practices.
"Our cat microchipping legislation webinar will help provide cat friendly advice for veterinary professionals and will include hints and tips to make cat microchipping appointments as stress free as possible.”
To register for the webinar, email contact@identichip.co.uk or call 0330 9128077.
VetSurgeon Profiles offer the same sort of features you find on external social networks like Linkedin and Facebook, but in a professional format designed specially for the veterinary profession.
They've been developed to help veterinary job seekers, locums, referral practitioners and forum contributors in particular:
VETERINARY JOB SEEKERSVetSurgeon Profiles have been designed to help you create what is essentially a polished CV. You can include details of where you qualified, which postgraduate qualifications you hold, your clinical interests, and your work experience.
Importantly, VetSurgeon Profiles have also been integrated within VetSurgeon Jobs. So now, when you respond to a job advert by clicking the email address given in the contact details, your email program will open a new message containing a link to your VetSurgeon Profile, ready to send to the advertiser (you must be logged in for this to work).
VETERINARY LOCUMSVetSurgeon Profiles are also integrated within the VetSurgeon Locum Map, making them a great way to advertise your skillset to hiring practices.
REFERRAL PRACTITIONERSVetSurgeon Profiles allow you to display just about every letter of the alphabet after your name, but in a way that is designed to be 'matter of fact' rather than 'showy'. Combined with the ability to display your work experience and interests, they’re a great way to show why you’re the person to refer that tricky case to. And you can now display your telephone number too.
VETSURGEON FORUM CONTRIBUTORSHaving a good profile displayed really helps build a sense of connection with other members. Perhaps more importantly, though, they help give your words context. When reading a post, it's so helpful to know when the author qualified, where, and what makes them tick.
Ultimately, though, VetSurgeon Profiles are for anyone and everyone who wants to be better connected with others in the profession, and the plan is to develop more and more features which help do precisely that.
To create your VetSurgeon Profile, visit the site, click ‘My Account’, then ‘View My Profile’ and add your details to the page. Here's one I prepared earlier.
VetSurgeon Profiles are only visible to logged in members of VetSurgeon.org.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a series of information sheets written by veterinary surgeons, nutritionists and leading riders to support its muscle building supplement for horses, Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls.
Available to download as PDFs from its website - http://www.equitop-myoplast.co.uk - this resource for horse owners covers a range of feeding topics including training the young showjumper and feeding the performance horse, older horses and horses during periods of rest and recuperation.
New video and written testimonials from performance riders and veterinary surgeons are now on the website, which also offers owners advice on healthy lean muscle growth and the benefits of Equitop Myoplast. Olympic dressage rider, Emile Faurie, international showjumpers, Ellen Whitaker and Scott Brash, and show horse producer, Katie Jerram, all endorse the product.
A client leaflet has also been launched featuring the testimonials and providing owners with information on Equitop Myoplast and an online offer of £15 off their first purchase of the supplement by downloading a voucher from the website.
Boehringer says Equitop Myoplast is packed with 18 key amino acids and is scientifically designed to support lean muscle growth, not bulk. The company says the supplement is great for optimising performance in horses in intensive training and competition, as well as bringing on young, breeding and injured animals, and for older horses which lose condition easily.
For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.
Woodley Equipment has become the UK distributor for the full portfolio of SpotChem products from Japanese manufacturer, Arkray.
The range of products includes:
For more information about the new SpotChem analysers, visit: www.woodleyequipment.com/, email: sales@woodleyequipment.com or call on +44(0)1204 669033.
Drawing attention to the symptoms of allergic skin disease that owners should look out for during the warmer months, the leaflet, poster and notice board materials discuss some of the substances that dogs can be allergic to, how to manage skin allergies and what to look for in an itch prevention plan.
The materials have been produced to support Apoquel, the oral therapy for the treatment of canine pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and the clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis. They feature two dogs – Eric and Daisy – whose lives have been changed by the product.
For more information, contact your Zoetis account manager.
Petplan has announced the winners of its 2011 Veterinary Awards.
The awards are to recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager said: "Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity, on behalf of all pet owners across the UK, to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding service they provide to our pets.
"This is the 12th year of the awards and this year we received over 2,800 nominations, a record number for the vet awards, which really highlights the high regard that the profession and pet owners have for these awards."
The winners for each category are:
VET OF THE YEARAlison Laurie, Crown Vets - Highlands What really stood out about Alison for the independent panel of judges was her clinical excellence, exceptional ability and compassion towards customers and their pets, all of which were highly praised in her nominations.
VET NURSE OF THE YEARMaria Corcoran, Orwell Veterinary Group - Ipswich Maria's ability to naturally lead by example was a prominent factor for the judges, as well as her ability to always make pet care and comfort her top priority. She also provides great customer service and high clinical standards.
VET SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR Patty Fraser, Loch Leven Equine Practice - KinrossThe independent panel of judges was really impressed by Patty; she is considered to be the 'hub' of the practice and constantly makes a strong contribution to the team in many ways. Her ability to organise and multitask whilst offering excellent customer service is outstanding.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR Emersons Green Veterinary Surgery Ltd - Avon Emersons Green Veterinary Surgery's work to continually educate their customers really stood out for the independent panel of judges. The practice works incredibly hard to provide regular newsletters and updates on their Facebook page, which is run by nurses, whilst maintaining a great level of service for their pets and clients. The practice has also been very successful in helping to re-home dogs.
Vétoquinol has launched Flexadin, a new range of joint support products for cats and dogs with osteoarthritis (OA)
Robert Simpson, Flexadin Product Manager said: "This new range is made up of two products: Flexadin Plus and Flexadin Advanced, both are dietetic complementary feeds which are members of a small group of joint support products which contain Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. These ingredients are proven to aid the support of the metabolism of joints in the case of OA. Although many different joint support aids are available, not all of them contain these extra ingredients."
Vétoquinol says that in addition to Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, Flexadin Plus contains the traditional ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin and devil's claw. Flexadin Advanced contains the novel ingredient, UCII - a type of undenatured type II collagen which has been manufactured using a patented process.
Flexadin Plus comes in two formulations, the first is specifically designed for cats/small dogs and the other is for medium/large dogs. Flexadin Advanced is specifically for dogs.
Robert added: "Flexadin Advanced has a specific property which means that the administration rate is only one chew per day whatever the weight of the dog. This has an important impact on the price per day for medium and large dogs which may require more than one tablet of traditional joint support products. This property also makes Flexadin Advanced a convenient option for owners. In addition to this benefit, UCII is becoming more and more popular due to the results of scientific studies in dogs, horses and even humans.
"We are all very excited about the advances this range can bring to veterinary practices."
Both Flexadin Plus and Advanced are presented as palatable, shaped, soft chews which come in zip-lock packs to keep the soft chews fresh and tasty. Flexadin Plus comes in packs of 90 chews whilst Flexadin Advanced comes in packs of 30 chews.
For further information about Flexadin, contact Vétoquinol on: 01280 825424.
Animalcare has announced the launch of Thiafeline (Thiamazole 2.5mg and 5mg) for the management of hyperthyroidism in cats.
An estimated 12% of UK cats over the age of nine suffer from hyperthyroidism², which could equate to almost 350,000 cats³. In one study, 92% of cats diagnosed with hyperthyroidism were stable after four weeks treatment (on the twice daily 2.5mg dosing) with thiamazole¹
Thiafeline is presented as a blister pack, which Animalcare says offers the benefits of easy dispensing, improved stock control and no nurse exposure during dispensing for increased safety in practice. This format also allows pet owners to monitor the dosage and quantities easily, for an uninterrupted course of medication.
Animalcare says that whilst many of the clinical signs for hyperthyroidism are easily recognised, it understands that diagnosis is not always straightforward. For this reason, the company has produced support materials for Thiafeline users including diagnosis best practice charts for use within practice and a pet owner awareness package for use in waiting rooms.
Beverley Hammond, Product Manager for Thiafeline said: "While initial signs associated with hyerperthyroidism can appear quite mild it is important for pet owners to understand that if left untreated the condition can lead to serious secondary complications. It's easy for owners to assume that the signs they are seeing are simply related to old age so our campaign will aim to increase the amount of owners bringing their cats for senior pet checks and also ensure that vets are following the best practice procedures to reach a definitive diagnosis."
Vétoquinol, manufacturer of Epiphen (phenobarbital), for the control of epilepsy in dogs, has announced the launch of a new starter pack for clients that are embarking on treatment.
The starter packs contain a variety of support materials designed to help owners better understand the condition and its treatment. They sit alongside other support given by the company, which includes an 'Ask the Expert' helpline through which Epiphen veterinary customers can speak to a neurology specialist at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, where Vetoquinol sponsors a neurology clinician.
Abbie King, Product Manager for Epiphen, said: ''Our 'Ask the Expert' helpline is a successful service that has been running for several years. 30% of the calls to Vetoquinol's technical team relate to this challenging condition meaning there are few queries our technical team have not tackled before. If extra help is necessary we have an excellent working relationship with The Animal Health Trust and regularly refer cases to them for further advice. We are very proud of this service and are delighted to be able to continue to provide this helpline for our Epiphen clients.''
To use the 'Ask the Expert' service, or order the support materials, ring 0800 1698197. Alternatively visit: www.vetoquinol.co.uk or www.epiphenonline.co.uk.
First they looked at the names of all the cats and dogs they saw in 2018, finding that the most popular names for dogs were Bella, Poppy and Alfie, whilst the most popular for cats were Charlie, Bella and Molly.
By comparison, the top ten names registered at the practice in the thirties were: Susie, Sally, Judy, Penny, Candy, Sam, Betty, Simon, Wendy and Bridget.
Honestly, who calls their dog Simon? Even in the 1930s.
Tom Ward, from White Cross Vets, said: "The most common names in our research reveal a leaning towards giving pets human names. It’s fascinating that this has gone full circle and was also a trend in the late 1930s, before names such as Fido, Patch, Sooty, Duke and Fluffy became popular with cats and dogs."
White Cross says that more recently it has also seen a surge of pets named after TV and film characters including Elsa from Frozen, Baloo from The Jungle Book, Peppa the cartoon pig, and Khaleesi, Sansa, Brienne and Tyrion, the Game of Thrones characters.
Veterinary Insights gets its data from over 400 practices using Vet Viewer, its benchmarking software which practices use to monitor business metrics.
Apparently, the figures show that while overall turnover has bounced back relatively robustly, sales in certain areas are still lagging, reflecting changed routines in the ‘new normal’. For example, with many practices requesting clients wait in the car park, there has been a sustained drop in the sale of products typically sold in the waiting room, with sales of pet food falling by 44% during early lockdown, and still down by 25% compared with February’s figures.
The company says there are also significant business stresses that may not be captured in current revenue data.
Alexander Arpino, Managing Director of Veterinary Insights, said: “Anecdotally, we’re hearing that vets are increasingly hard-pressed for time, with logistical difficulties arising from social distancing. Consults are taking longer, and there’s an additional headache for receptionists as payments have to be collected afterwards over the phone. While there are some quick fixes, for example using a telemedicine app such as LinkyVet that sets payment expectations up front, there is no doubt that it’s difficult to make all this extra time investment sustainable in the long run.”
Paradoxically, while consults may be taking up more of vets’ time, some clients feel that they are getting less value for money as there is little face-to-face interaction with the vet. Alexander added: "One of the biggest challenges in the current environment is preserving and fostering those positive relationships with clients that are the cornerstone of companion animal practice.
"Ultimately, we want to bring clients back into the consult room, but only as and when it’s safe to do so. Otherwise, the question is: How can we make adjustments to maintain a high level of client satisfaction, without putting undue stress on vets?"
Veterinary Insights says its software can help practices navigate these challenges by presenting up to 24 months of historical data extracted from practice management systems, enabling businesses to draw comparisons with past performance.
For more information, visit www.vetviewer.co.uk.
The Arthrex Vet Systems Mobile Lab will be hosting hands-on sessions to help practitioners develop their arthroscopy and joint block skills in its state-of-the-art laboratory.
BEVA President Roger Smith said: “Our practical sessions are always highly popular and the wetlab experience takes things to the next level."
"The ability to practice ultrasound-guided injections at the conference provides the opportunity to hone your skills in ultrasound and enable you to cement to ultrasound-guided injections of tendons and ligaments and joints into your daily practice.
On the Thursday there will be three wetlab taster sessions at three different stations, giving delegates the chance to sharpen their skills with an ultrasound scanner, arthroscope and arthrobox.
Friday’s sessions will be focused on forelimb joint blocks and arthroscopic demonstrations of the needle locations.
The full BEVA Congress programme is now live and super early bird tickets are available until 7th June 2024.
Individual super early bird BEVA members prices are £524 for vets and £144 for vet nurses for all three days (with concessionary available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000).
Day tickets and practice passes are also available.
http://www.bevacongress.org